[upside down]{adv. phr.} Overturned so that the bottom is up and the top is down. •/The ladybug lay upside down in the sand and was unable to take off./ •/The problem with this company is that everything is upside down; we need a new C.E.O./
[upstairs] See: NOBODY HOME UPSTAIRS.
[up the creek] or [up the creek without a paddle] {adj. phr.}, {informal} In trouble or difficulty and unable to do anything about it; stuck. •/Father said that if the car ran out of gas in the middle of the desert, we would be up the creek without a paddle./ •/I’ll be up the creek if I don’t pass this history test./ Compare: DEEP WATER, IN THE SOUP, UP A TREE, OUT OF LUCK.
[up tight] or [uptight] {adj.}, {slang}, {informal} Worried, irritated, excessively eager or anxious. •/Why are you so uptight about getting that job? The more you worry, the less you’ll succeed./
[up to]{prep.} 1. As far, as deep, or as high as. •/The water in the pond was only up to John’s knees./ •/Mary is small and just comes up to Bill’s chest./ •/The shovel sank in the soft mud all the way up to the handle./ 2. Close to; approaching. •/The team did not play up to its best today./ •/Because of the rain, the number of people at the party didn’t come up to the number we expected./ 3. As high as; not more than; as much or as many as. •/Pick any number up to ten./ •/There were up to eight fire engines at the fire./ 4. or [up till] or [up until] — Until; till. •/Up to her fourth birthday, the baby slept in a crib./ •/Up to now I always thought John was honest./ •/We went swimming up till breakfast time./ •/Up until last summer we always went to the beach for our vacation./ 5. Capable of; fit for; equal to; strong or well enough for. •/We chose Harry to be captain because we thought he was up to the job./ •/Mother is sick and not up to going out to the store./ 6. Doing or planning secretly; ready for mischief. •/What are you up to with the matches, John?/ •/Mrs. Watson was sure that the boys were up to no good, because they ran when they saw her coming./ 7. Facing as a duty; to be chosen or decided by; depending on. •/It’s up to you to get to school on time./ •/I don’t care when you cut the grass. When you do it is up to you./
[up-to-date]{adj.} Modem; contemporary; the latest that technology can offer. •/"I want an up-to-date dictionary of American idioms," Mr. Lee said, "that has all the latest Americanisms in it."/ Contrast: STATE-OF-THE-ART.
[up to no good]{adv. phr.} Intending to do something bad; perpetrating an illicit act. •/We could tell from the look on Dennis the Menace’s face that he was once again up to no good./
[up to one’s ears]{adv. phr.} Immersed in; covered with. •/"Around final examination time," Professor Brown explained, "I am always up to my ears in work."/
[up to one’s neck]{adv. phr.} Overwhelmed with; submerged in. •/"During the summer season in our cottage by the lake," the Allens complained, "we are usually up to our necks in uninvited guests."/ Compare: UP TO ONE’S EARS.
[up to par] or {informal} [up to scratch] or {informal} [up to snuff] 1. In good or normal health or physical condition. •/I have a cold and don’t feel up to par./ •/The boxer is training for the fight but he isn’t up to scratch yet./ 2. or [up to the mark] As good as usual; up to the usual level or quality. •/The TV program was not up to par tonight./ •/John will have to work hard to bring his grades up to snuff./ Compare: MEASURE UP.
[up to scratch] See: UP TO FAR.
[up to snuff] See: UP TO PAR.
[up to the chin in] or [in --- up to the chin] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Used also with "ears", "elbows", "eyes" or "knees" instead of "chin", and with a possessive instead of "the". 1. Having a big or important part in; guilty of; not innocent of; deeply in. •/Was Tom mixed up in that trouble last night? He was up to his ears in it./ •/Mr. Johnson is up to the eyes in debt./ •/Mrs. Smith is in debt up to her chin./ Compare: TO THE HILT. 2. Very busy with; working hard at. •/Bob is up to his neck in homework./ •/They are up to their elbows in business before Christmas./ 3. Having very much or many of; flooded with. •/Mary was up to her knees in invitations to go to parties./ Compare: KNEE-DEEP.
[up to the hilt] See: TO THE HILT.
[up to the last minute]{adv. phr.} Until the last possible moment; until the very end. •/When I try to send in an important eyewitness report from the scene of a major accident, I must keep working up to the last minute./ Compare: TO THE BITTER END, UNDER THE WIRE.
[up to the mark] See: UP TO PAR(2).
[up-to-the-minute] See: UP-TO-DATE.
[urban homesteading]{n.}, {informal} Renovation and occupation through cooperative ownership by tenants of previously abandoned city apartment buildings. •/Urban homesteading is on the rise in many big American cities these days./
[use] See: NO USE, PUT TO USE.
[used to(1)]{adj. phr.} In the habit of or familiar with. •/People get used to smoking and it is hard for them to stop./ •/Farmers are used to working outdoors in the winter./ •/After my eyes became used to the dim light in the cave, I saw an old shovel on the ground./ •/On the hike Bob soon got tired, but Dick did not because he was used to walking./
[used to(2)] or [did use to] {v. phr.} Did formerly; did in the past. — Usually used with an infinitive to tell about something past. •/Uncle Henry used to have a beard, but he shaved it off./ •/Did your father use to work at the bank?/ •/People used to say that tomatoes were poison./ — Sometimes used without the infinitive. •/I don’t go to that school any more, but I used to./ •/We don’t visit Helen as much as we used to./ •/I used to go to the movies often. Did you use to?/