Causing or Expressing a Feeling, Creating or Making, Moving or Positioning and 16 More Topics · Phrasal Verbs with Up

to cause regular discomfort or pain, often related to a physical illness or health issue

"The computer acts up frequently now."

"My computer started to act up right before the important presentation so I had to borrow a laptop from a colleague."

to express strong disapproval or anger toward someone

"The boss will chew him up."

"The manager was furious and proceeded to chew up the employee for his repeated tardiness and lack of attention to detail."

to fully immerse oneself in an experience

"I will soak up the sun."

"During his vacation, he decided to soak up the local culture and atmosphere."

to make someone or something lively and excited

"Music will charge up us."

"The energetic music and cheering crowd helped to charge up the athletes before the start of the championship game."

to add energy or excitement to a situation

"Music livens up the dull party."

"The party really livened up after the DJ started playing some upbeat music that everyone could dance to."

to make something more interesting, often by making it sexually appealing

"The advert sexes up a boring product."

"The advertising agency tried to sex up the product by using attractive models and suggestive images in their commercials."

to create a state of tension and discomfort

"He tenses up before public speaking."

"The athlete tends to tense up before a big competition because he feels nervous about performing well in front of a large crowd."

to suddenly feel or appear happier

"Her smile will brighten up."

"When she heard the good news about her promotion, her entire demeanor seemed to brighten up instantly."

to encourage someone when they are sad or discouraged

"Buck up and try again."

"The coach told his players to buck up and try harder in the second half of the game."

to become happier or more hopeful

"Good news buoys up his spirits."

"The good news buoyed up the spirits of the employees who had been feeling discouraged after the company announced layoffs last month."

to inspire someone, especially with enthusiastic cheers or words of encouragement

"Cheer up and pep up."

"The coach gave a motivational speech to pep up the team before the second half of the important championship game."

to laugh in a loud or uncontrollable manner

"She cracks up at his silly jokes."

"The funny video made me crack up so much that I could not stop laughing for several minutes."

to cause someone to feel upset or emotional

"It will work up sadness."

"The tragic news was enough to work up a deep sense of sorrow in everyone who heard it."

to let go of tension and anxiety

"Loosen up and enjoy the party."

"You need to loosen up and relax a little because being so serious all the time is not good for your stress levels."

to cause strong feelings, often unpleasant ones

"Do not stir up old arguments."

"The journalist was accused of trying to stir up racial hatred with his inflammatory articles about immigration."

to feel happy and satisfied

"Her smile cheers up everyone around."

"She tried to cheer up her sad friend by telling him funny jokes and making silly faces."

to become more energetic or lively

"He will perk up."

"After a good night's sleep, she began to perk up and feel ready to face the day."

to come up with a creative idea, plan, or solution

"She dreams up new invention ideas."

"The children dreamed up an elaborate plan to sneak cookies from the kitchen while their parents were sleeping."

to actively gather and engage individuals by generating interest or excitement through promotion or persuasion

"Drum up support for the charity."

"The salesman tried to drum up more business by offering a special discount to new customers who signed up today."

to form a group, typically to confront, hurt, or oppose a particular individual or group

"The kids gang up on the newcomer."

"The older children ganged up on the smaller kid and took his lunch money while the teacher was not looking."

to form a line or queue, often with a specific order, while waiting for something

"Queue up for the concert tickets."

"The fans began to queue up outside the stadium hours before the concert was scheduled to start."

to hastily create a meal, typically using whatever ingredients are available

"Rustle up some dinner quickly please."

"The chef managed to rustle up a delicious meal from the few ingredients that were left in the refrigerator."

to bring forth a memory or image, causing one to remember or think about something

"She summoned up her courage finally."

"He tried to summon up the courage to ask his boss for a raise but he was too nervous to speak."

to generate ideas or concepts, often in a creative manner

"Think up a new game."

"The marketing team had to think up an innovative campaign to capture the attention of younger audiences."

to invent typically false or exaggerated information in order to create a false idea about someone or something

"They trump up false charges against him."

"The corrupt police officer tried to trump up false charges against the innocent man to make himself look good to his boss."

to bring forth something, often from the realm of imagination, as if by enchantment

"The magician conjured up a rabbit."

"The talented chef could conjure up a delicious and complex meal from just a few simple ingredients."

to create a plan, document, or written agreement, often in a formal or official context

"We will draw up plans."

"The legal team will draw up a comprehensive contract outlining all the terms and conditions of the proposed merger."

to make something quickly and easily, often without much care or effort

"They will knock up a table."

"He managed to knock up a basic presentation in just a few hours before the meeting."

to stand in a line or row extending in a single direction

"Line up outside the classroom."

"The students were asked to line up outside the classroom before the teacher opened the door."

to create a false or fictional story or information

"She will make up."

"He was accused of fabricating evidence, but he claimed he only made up a story."

to begin to exist very quickly

"New shops spring up."

"Following the city's redevelopment, new businesses began to spring up in the revitalized downtown area."

to make food very quickly

"She whipped up a quick meal."

"The experienced cook can whip up a delicious meal in under thirty minutes using simple ingredients from the pantry."

to gradually but consistently strive to achieve something or make something happen

"Work up a plan."

"Through diligent effort, she managed to work up a successful business from a small idea into a thriving enterprise."

to move slowly and gradually toward someone or something without being noticed

"The cat creeps up on mouse."

"The stealthy predator began to creep up on its unsuspecting prey, moving silently through the tall grass."

to position one's body like a ball with one's arms and legs placed close to one's body while sitting

"The cat curls up by the fire."

"The cat likes to curl up on the warm blanket near the fireplace during cold winter nights."

to bend something to make it smaller or more compact

"Fold up the map after using it."

"You should fold up the map carefully after you finish using it so that it does not get torn or wrinkled."

to hide and stay in a place to avoid being noticed or disturbed

"The fugitive holes up in a cabin."

"The fugitive decided to hole up in an abandoned cabin in the woods until the police stopped searching for him."

to fold something into a tube-like shape

"Roll up the poster for storage."

"Please roll up the yoga mat tightly after you finish your exercises so it fits easily into your bag."

to neatly arrange objects, usually in a vertical arrangement, forming piles

"Stack up the dishes after washing."

"The boxes began to stack up in the hallway because no one had taken them down to the basement for storage."

to collectively move closer together, typically by adjusting one's position, to create more space

"Squash up to make more room."

"The children squashed up against the window to get a better view of the parade as it passed by."

to correct one's posture or position to become more upright

"Straighten up your back."

"You need to straighten up your room before your grandparents arrive for their visit because it is very messy."

to move toward someone, usually in order to talk to them

"He will come up."

"A stranger suddenly came up to me on the street and asked for directions."

to get on our feet and stand up

"Please get up now."

"It is very difficult for me to get up early on cold winter mornings because my bed feels so warm and comfortable."

to place something somewhere noticeable

"Put up the picture."

"The building owners decided to put up a new fence around the property for additional security."

to arrive at an event or appointment where one is expected

"He shows up late for work."

"The famous actor did not show up for the interview and the reporters were very disappointed and angry."

to change one's position from a lying position into an upright one

"Please sit up straight."

"The doctor advised the patient to sit up slowly after the surgery to avoid dizziness."

to rise to a standing position from a seated or lying position

"He will stand up soon."

"The entire audience was asked to stand up to honor the distinguished guest speaker."

to prepare one's body for exercising or playing sports with gentle stretches and exercises

"We must warm up first."

"Athletes should always warm up properly before engaging in strenuous physical activity."

to suppress emotions, desires, or impulses instead of expressing them

"Do not bottle up your angry feelings."

"He tends to bottle up his emotions instead of talking about his feelings which leads to a lot of stress and anxiety."

to complete or do something that one could not do earlier, often because of a busy schedule

"Catch up on your sleep this weekend."

"I need to catch up on my sleep this weekend because I have been staying up very late every night."

(of a machine or system) to stop working because its parts have become stuck or jammed

"The engine seizes up from overheating."

"The old engine seized up after years of sitting in the garage without any oil or maintenance."

to bring something to a conclusion or resolution, often in a way that was unexpected or unplanned

"Wind up the meeting quickly."

"Let me wind up this conversation because I have another meeting to attend in ten minutes."

to surrender, typically under pressure or force applied by external factors

"The earth yields up its hidden treasures."

"The old safe finally yielded up its secrets when the locksmith managed to open it after several hours of careful work."

to complete a task or activity thoroughly and entirely

"Finish up your homework before dinner."

"Let me finish up this report before I leave for the day so that I do not have to worry about it tomorrow morning."

to stop trying when faced with failures or difficulties

"Never give up on your dreams."

"Do not give up on your dreams just because you face a few obstacles along the way."

to stop believing that something is possible or achievable

"Don't give up on it."

"Despite numerous setbacks, the dedicated team refused to give up on their ambitious scientific endeavor."

to end a phone call by breaking the connection

"She hangs up the phone angrily."

"Do not hang up the phone yet because I need to give you one more important piece of information."

to delay the progress of something

"Traffic can hold up cars."

"The heavy snowstorm is expected to hold up deliveries across the entire region for several days."

to preserve something at a consistently high standard, price, or level

"Keep up the good work."

"It is difficult to keep up with the latest technology because new products are released every month."

(of a vehicle) to come to a stop

"He pulls up to the red light."

"A black car pulled up next to us at the traffic light and the driver rolled down his window."

to complete a meeting, task, agreement, etc.

"Let us wrap up the meeting now."

"Let us wrap up the meeting now because we have covered all the important items on today's agenda."

to make oneself neat or clean

"She cleans up herself."

"Please clean up the mess you made in the kitchen before your father gets home from work."

to tidy, remove, or organize things following a particular activity or event

"Clean up after your dog."

"The pet owner is responsible to clean up after his dog when it defecates in the public park."

to make a place tidy by putting things back where they belong, often following a particular activity or event

"Clear up after the party ends."

"The janitor was responsible to clear up after the school cafeteria lunch service each day."

to distribute something into separate parts, shares, or portions

"Divide up the money among yourselves."

"The children decided to divide up the candy equally so that no one would feel cheated or left out."

to collect and remove dirt or trash, typically from the floor or a surface using a broom

"Sweep up the broken glass carefully."

"The janitor swept up the broken glass from the floor after the vase fell off the table and shattered."

to make a place neat and orderly by putting things away, cleaning, or organizing

"Please tidy up."

"Before the guests arrive, we need to tidy up the living room and make sure everything is in its proper place."

to clean a surface by using a cloth or mop to remove liquid or any sort of substance spills

"Wipe up the mess on counter."

"Please wipe up the milk you spilled on the counter before it dries and becomes sticky and hard to clean."

to end a relationship, typically a romantic or sexual one

"The couple decided to break up."

"After dating for five years, they decided to break up because their life goals were no longer aligned."

to explain or resolve confusion, making something easier to understand or less ambiguous

"Let me clear it up."

"The detective's detailed explanation helped to clear up the confusing sequence of events that led to the crime."

to remove or absorb liquid from the ground floor, often using a sponge, cloth, or absorbent material

"Mop up the spilled milk quickly."

"The waiter used a towel to mop up the spilled wine from the floor before anyone could slip and fall."

to separate something into smaller components

"Please split up the cake."

"The teacher asked the students to split up the complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts."

to rip something into small pieces

"He will tear up paper."

"She was so angry that she began to tear up the letter into tiny, unreadable pieces and threw them away."

to clean one's hands, face, or body, typically using water and soap

"Wash up before eating."

"It's important for everyone to wash up thoroughly after playing outside to prevent the spread of germs."

to reluctantly provide or surrender something, often money or information

"He must cough up money."

"The detective pressured the suspect until he finally agreed to cough up the incriminating evidence he had been hiding."

to collect various things or people that are spread out for a specific purpose

"Gather up your belongings and leave."

"The team managed to gather up all the necessary supplies before the expedition began."

to collect and store a large quantity of something, often valuable or useful items

"Do not hoard up supplies unnecessarily."

"The old man hoarded up newspapers and empty bottles in his apartment until there was almost no room to walk."

to put things into containers or bags in order to transport or store them

"Pack up your belongings carefully."

"The workers began to pack up their tools after finishing the construction job for the day."

to gather people or things, often to organize or deal with them

"Round up the students now."

"The teacher asked the students to round up their scattered belongings before the bell rang for recess."

to set money or resources aside for future use

"Save up for a new car."

"The young couple is trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their first small house."

to offer something, typically food or drink, to someone

"The chef serves up delicious meals."

"The restaurant serves up delicious homemade pasta every night but you need to arrive early to get a table."

to gather something in large amounts to keep for future use, sale, or for a particular occasion

"Stock up on winter supplies."

"Before the hurricane arrived residents rushed to the store to stock up on bottled water and canned food."

(of animals) to seek a sheltered area to avoid direct exposure to the sun

"Cows shade up now."

"During the hottest part of the day, the desert animals would shade up under the sparse bushes to escape the intense heat."

to reluctantly provide something, often under pressure or obligation

"Fork up the cash for tickets."

"You need to fork up the cash before I give you the concert tickets because I do not trust you to pay me later."

to share or occupy the same space or accommodation with another person, often due to limited resources

"We will double up."

"Due to the unexpected influx of guests, we had to double up in the available rooms."

to provide someone with something such as a service or an opportunity

"I will fix up lunch."

"The university promised to fix up promising students with valuable internship opportunities."

to provide someone with something

"Can you hook up my phone?"

"The organization aims to hook up underprivileged youth with mentors who can guide their careers."

to retrieve an item from a location where it was left

"I will pick up the package."

"He asked his friend to pick up his dry cleaning on the way home from work."

to praise someone or something a lot and make them seem better than they actually are

"He bigs up his favorite football team."

"The rapper likes to big up his hometown in his songs by mentioning famous landmarks and local slang."

to practice and improve skills or knowledge that one has learned in the past

"Brush up your skills before the exam."

"I need to brush up on my Spanish before my trip to Mexico because I have not spoken it in years."

to make something more interesting, exciting, or lively by adding enhancements or creative elements

"Jazz up the bland meal with spices."

"She used some colorful pillows and a new rug to jazz up her boring living room without spending too much money."

to show courage and strength in a difficult situation

"Man up and face your fears."

"His father told him to man up and face the consequences of his actions instead of crying about them."

to improve something until it reaches a high level of quality or completeness

"Polish up your shoes for the interview."

"You should polish up your resume before sending it to potential employers because small mistakes can make a bad impression."

to prevent a building or a part of it from falling, by putting large pieces of wood or metal under or against it

"We need to shore up the foundation."

"The government injected money into the struggling bank to shore up its finances and prevent it from collapsing completely."

to provide someone with the skills necessary to perform a specific job or task effectively

"Skill up through online courses regularly."

"The company offers free online courses to help employees skill up and learn new technologies that are relevant to their jobs."

to make minor improvements or fixes to something, usually by adding a small amount of additional material

"Touch up your makeup before leaving."

"The bride needed to touch up her lipstick before walking down the aisle for the wedding ceremony."

to become stronger and better at handling difficulties

"Toughen up before the challenging hike."

"The drill sergeant tried to toughen up the new recruits by making them run long distances and do difficult physical exercises."

to improve or raise something to a higher standard or level

"Let's level up."

"This new software update will significantly level up the performance and capabilities of your device."

to be promoted to a better position or job in life

"He will move up."

"With consistent hard work and dedication, she was able to move up quickly in the corporate hierarchy."

to make something more exciting by adding variety or creativity

"Spice up the conversation with jokes."

"The chef added some chili flakes to spice up the bland sauce and give it a little kick of heat."

to ruin or create disorder in something

"He will ball up plans."

"His careless actions managed to ball up all of our carefully laid plans for the event, causing significant delays."

to make a serious mistake that causes a lot of harm or destruction

"Do not botch up the simple task."

"The inexperienced contractor completely botched up the renovation and the homeowners had to hire someone else to fix everything."

to transform a place into a messy or disorganized environment

"Don't clutter up room."

"He had a tendency to clutter up his small apartment with too many possessions, making it difficult to move around freely."

to mess up something, often due to the lack of necessary ability or knowledge

"He cocks up the presentation completely."

"The delivery driver cocked up the address and left the package at the wrong house two streets away."

to disorganize items, elements, or information, creating a state of confusion or chaos

"The wind will jumble up hair."

"The movers accidentally managed to jumble up all the boxes, so it took us a long time to find our belongings."

to make a mistake or error, causing a situation or task to become disorganized, confused, or unsuccessful

"Do not mess up your room."

"Do not mess up the living room because we are expecting important guests to arrive soon."

to mess up and not succeed because of a mistake that completely ruins something

"Do not muck up the clean floor."

"Do not muck up the kitchen while I am gone because I just spent two hours cleaning it from top to bottom."

to confuse or mix two or more things or people together

"The rain will muddle up the path."

"The confusing directions on the map seemed to muddle up the hikers, causing them to get lost in the dense forest."

to make a mistake

"I will slip up sometimes."

"Even the most experienced chefs can slip up occasionally, leading to a dish that doesn't quite turn out as planned."

to make someone stumble or fall by hitting or catching their foot on something

"The rope will trip up him."

"The uneven pavement and loose gravel were designed to trip up any unsuspecting pedestrians who weren't paying attention to their footing."

to unintentionally change the arrangement or order of a group of things, often leading to confusion or errors

"Don't mix up the files."

"Be careful not to mix up the medication with the supplements, as they have different dosages."

to cause harm to someone or something in a violent manner

"He bangs up his new car badly."

"He banged up his knee pretty badly when he fell off his skateboard and had to go to the emergency room."

to cause harm to someone or something

"The storm battered up the coast."

"The relentless waves battered up the old wooden pier, causing significant structural damage."

to physically attack someone, often with repeated blows

"The bullies beat up the smaller boy."

"The older boys threatened to beat up the smaller child if he did not give them his lunch money."

to unfairly and harshly criticize someone for something

"Don't beat up on him."

"The critics decided to beat up on the new movie, despite its promising premise and talented cast."

to be entirely destroyed by fire

"The satellite burned up in the atmosphere."

"The small meteor began to burn up as it entered the Earth's atmosphere creating a bright streak of light in the night sky."

to ruin a situation through mistakes or poor judgment

"Do not screw up this opportunity."

"Do not screw up this important opportunity because it may be the only chance you ever get."

to cause significant damage to something, often with force or violence

"They smashed up the car."

"The angry protesters began to smash up the windows of the government building in frustration."

to unexpectedly and aggressively confront someone

"He ran up on me."

"A stranger suddenly ran up on the tourist, demanding to know why they were in the restricted area."

to rob someone using a weapon or some form of threat

"He will stick up bank."

"The masked individual attempted to stick up the jewelry store, but the alarm was triggered immediately."

to cause something to explode

"Terrorists blow up the train station bridge."

"The terrorist tried to blow up the bridge with a bomb but the police discovered it before it could explode."

to deal with and eliminate the last few people who resist or oppose one

"We must mop up."

"The remaining enemy forces were quickly mopped up by the advancing troops."

to appear or arise unexpectedly, often referring to a problem, issue, or situation that was not previously anticipated or planned for

"Problems crop up unexpectedly often."

"Some unexpected problems cropped up at work so I will be late getting home for dinner tonight."

to appear or happen unexpectedly

"New problems keep popping up."

"New problems seem to pop up every time we think we have finally solved the old ones."

to experience a rapid and unexpected emergence of a significant number of things

"New shops sprout up."

"Following the economic boom, new businesses began to sprout up all over the downtown area."

to dedicate one's time and energy to a specific activity or pursuit

"She will take up art."

"After retiring, he decided to take up with painting, dedicating several hours each day to his new hobby."

(of a computer or electronic device) to start and load the operating system into memory for use

"Boot up your computer now."

"It takes about a minute for my old computer to boot up completely after I press the power button."

to establish a fresh entity, such as a company, system, or organization

"Set up the tent carefully."

"They plan to set up a small charity to help homeless people find shelter and food."

to start a process, organization, or activity

"She will start up a business."

"He decided to start up his own consulting firm after gaining years of valuable industry experience."

to begin something, particularly a conversation or relationship

"Let's strike up talk."

"He decided to strike up a friendship with his new neighbor over a shared love of gardening."

to make a new interest or hobby a regular part of one's life

"I will take up tennis."

"She decided to take up painting as a way to relax after work."

to be carried to a destination by the force of water

"The boat was washed up."

"After the storm, numerous pieces of driftwood were washed up along the coastline."

to fully supply with equipment, clothes, food, or other necessities

"They fit up the room."

"The expedition team was meticulously fit up with all the necessary survival gear for the harsh Arctic conditions."

to fill or place a significant amount of weight or quantity onto something

"Load up the truck with supplies."

"We need to load up the car with all of our camping gear before we can leave for the trip."

to make something fuller or fluffier by shaking or adjusting it

"Plump up the pillows on the sofa."

"You should plump up the pillows on the sofa before the guests arrive so they look neat and inviting."

to calculate and find the total by adding together various numbers or amounts

"Please tot up costs."

"The waiter carefully totted up the bill, ensuring every item ordered was accurately included in the final total."

to amount to a particular total

"It will add up to."

"All these small acts of kindness will add up to a significant positive impact on the community."

to make something become full

"Fill up the gas tank please."

"Please fill up the gas tank before returning the rental car to avoid paying extra fees."

to inject air into an object using a tool

"We need to pump up the tires."

"The mechanic had to pump up the tires on the car before it could be driven safely."

to add spices or flavorful ingredients to a dish to give it more flavor

"Spice up the curry."

"A dash of chili powder and some fresh herbs will wonderfully spice up this simple dish."

to add more liquid to someone's glass or cup

"Top up the tank with petrol."

"You should top up your car's oil before driving on the highway for a long distance to avoid engine damage."

to buy the whole supply of something such as tickets, stocks, goods, etc.

"They bought up all the tickets."

"The large corporation planned to buy up all the smaller competing businesses to create a monopoly in the market."

to count all the money a shop made at the end of the day

"We cash up now."

"The store manager asked the employees to cash up the registers before closing for the night."

to examine something to confirm its quality and accuracy

"Check up on the facts."

"The manager decided to check up on his employees to ensure they were actually working."

to add up a group of items or numbers to determine the total

"Count up the apples."

"We need to count up all the donations received to determine the total amount raised for the charity."

to give someone the money one owes

"You must pay up."

"The landlord insisted that the tenant pay up the overdue rent immediately or face eviction proceedings."

to dispose of all one's merchandise or possessions

"They will sell up."

"Facing financial difficulties, the family was forced to sell up their home and all their belongings."

to pay the money one owes someone

"Settle up your tab."

"After enjoying a delicious meal, the friends agreed to settle up the restaurant bill equally amongst themselves."

to examine someone or something in order to form a judgment

"She sized up her opponent carefully."

"The experienced detective could size up a suspect within seconds of meeting them."

to pay money, often unwillingly or under pressure

"Stump up the cash for repairs."

"The company was forced to stump up a large sum of money to settle the lawsuit brought by its former employees."

to observe someone closely to evaluate their character, abilities, etc.

"Weigh up the person."

"The jury must carefully weigh up all the evidence before reaching a verdict in the trial."

to face challenges with a positive attitude

"She bears up under the strain well."

"Even after losing her job, she managed to bear up and face each new challenge with remarkable courage and determination."

to soften one's approach by becoming more understanding

"Please ease up on me."

"The teacher advised the students to ease up on their criticism and offer more constructive feedback."

to confront and deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation directly and courageously

"You must face up to reality."

"You must face up to your mistakes and apologize instead of blaming others for your own failures."

to make something available by removing restrictions or allowing it to be used for a different purpose

"This will free up time."

"Automating the repetitive tasks will free up the employees to focus on more strategic and creative projects."

to make something much more strict or limited

"We must tighten up."

"The government plans to tighten up security measures at all major airports following recent threats."

to refuse to accept an opportunity or offer

"Don't pass up this."

"She decided not to pass up the chance to study abroad, even though it meant being away from her family."

to tolerate something or someone unpleasant, often without complaining

"I cannot put up with this noise."

"I cannot put up with this constant noise anymore and I am going to complain to the landlord."

to encounter a problem or a difficult situation

"They run up against legal obstacles."

"The small company ran up against many obstacles while trying to compete with much larger and wealthier corporations."

to make something available, possible, or reachable, often by creating new opportunities or access points

"This will open up new chances."

"The new technology will open up exciting possibilities for remote collaboration and learning."

to courageously confront and resist someone or something, refusing to be controlled

"She will stand up to him."

"It is important for citizens to stand up to injustice and demand fair treatment."

to defend or support someone or something

"Stand up for your rights always."

"You should always stand up for your rights and not let anyone take advantage of you."

to choose not to go to bed and remain awake

"Stay up late to watch movies."

"The children begged their parents to let them stay up late to watch the fireworks on New Year's Eve."

to stay awake and wait for someone to come

"I will wait up."

"Please wait up for me; I will be home as soon as I finish this important work meeting."

to connect something to electrical equipment using wires

"Wire up the speakers to amplifier."

"The electrician will wire up the new light fixture before the end of the day so that we can use it tonight."

to support someone or something

"I will back up my friend."

"The community decided to back up the local charity's fundraising efforts."

to wake up and get out of bed

"I get up early."

"He finds it incredibly difficult to get up before the sun rises each morning."

to link or connect someone or something to another device or system

"Hook up the computer."

"We need to hook up the new printer to the main network before anyone can use it."

to provide financial or material support to an organization, system, or person to prevent failure

"They will prop up the business."

"The government decided to prop up the struggling airline industry with a substantial financial bailout."

to stay awake beyond the usual or expected time

"I sit up late tonight."

"She had to sit up late into the night to finish her urgent assignment."

to no longer be asleep

"I wake up at seven AM."

"I usually wake up at seven in the morning and then make coffee."

(of someone in authority) to find out that someone did something wrong and decide to do something about it

"Police catch up with."

"The police finally caught up with the fleeing suspect after a high speed chase through the city streets."

to eject stomach contents through the mouth

"He chuckes up his lunch sadly."

"The rough waves on the boat made him feel sick and he had to chuck up over the side of the deck."

to make oneself look beautiful or stylish, especially for a special event

"She dolls up for the party."

"She spent an hour dolling up for the party with makeup and a fancy dress because she wanted to look her best."

to improve one's appearance, energy, or smell, usually by washing, grooming, or getting refreshed

"Freshen up before the guests arrive."

"The traveler went to the restroom to freshen up before meeting his important client."

to improve one's appearance by wearing more stylish or formal clothing

"Smarten up your appearance for work."

"The manager told the young employee to smarten up his appearance because he was representing the company at an important meeting."

to bring up stomach contents through the mouth

"The baby spits up his milk."

"The baby spit up some of his milk after feeding because his stomach was too full and he had swallowed too much air."

to expel the contents of the stomach through the mouth

"She started to throw up again."

"After eating spoiled seafood at the restaurant, he began to throw up repeatedly throughout the night and had to visit the hospital."

to find something by excavating or digging in the ground

"They will dig up treasure."

"Archaeologists hope to dig up ancient artifacts from the recently discovered ruins."

to wear formal clothes for a special occasion or event

"Dress up for party."

"The children love to dress up in their parents' clothes and pretend to be grown ups."

to try to find information in a dictionary, computer, etc.

"Students look up a word online."

"If you do not know the meaning of a word you should look it up in a reliable dictionary or online."

to become empty of water or other liquids, often through evaporation

"The river will dry up."

"The small stream will completely dry up during the summer if there is not enough rain."

(of glass, mirrors, lenses, and other such surfaces) to become covered by fog

"The windshield fogs up in cold."

"My glasses fogged up when I walked from the cold outside into the warm humid building so I could not see anything."

to become solid or immobile due to cold temperatures, often leading to a lack of functionality

"The computer freezes up during heavy use."

"The computer screen froze up in the middle of my presentation and I could not get it to respond at all."

to change from being a child into an adult little by little

"Children grow up in a small town."

"When I grow up I want to become a doctor so I can help sick people get better and live healthier lives."

to make something warm or hot

"Heat up the leftovers in the microwave."

"You can heat up the leftover pizza in the microwave for about a minute before eating it."

to cause a surface particularly a glass one to become foggy

"The bathroom mirror steams up quickly."

"The bathroom mirror steamed up completely after my hot shower and I had to wipe it with a towel to see my reflection."

(of a piece of glass or mirror) to have a thin layer of water droplets forms on its surface, often due to a difference in temperature or humidity

"Her glasses mist up in humidity."

"The windows of the car began to mist up as the temperature dropped outside and the warm air inside created condensation."

to get coated with ice, often due to freezing temperatures

"The wings ice up during flight."

"The wings of the airplane began to ice up during the flight so the pilot had to activate the de icing system."

(of a situation or feeling) to start to get out of control and reach a more dangerous state

"Anger will boil up."

"Tensions in the region began to boil up, threatening to erupt into a full-scale conflict."

to stop being under the influence of alcohol

"He sobers up after several hours."

"He drank too much at the party and needed several hours to sober up before he could drive home safely."

to cut something into smaller pieces

"Chop up the onions for soup."

"The chef chopped up the onions into small pieces before adding them to the hot pan with some oil and garlic."

to consume the entire contents of a glass, bottle, or other container that holds a beverage

"Drink up your juice before school."

"The host encouraged the guests to drink up because there was plenty more wine available for everyone."

to eat something quickly and greedily, often with little regard to manners or etiquette

"He gobbles up his dinner fast."

"The hungry children gobbled up all of the pizza within minutes and then asked for more because they were still hungry."

to cut something into slices

"Slice up the bread for sandwiches."

"The chef will slice up the vegetables for the salad."

to entirely consume a resource, leaving none remaining

"We use up all the fuel."

"We used up all of the hot water during our morning showers so there was none left for anyone else."

to slice something into smaller parts

"Cut up the vegetables."

"The chef expertly demonstrated how to cut up the ingredients for a complex dish."

to consume completely, especially in reference to food

"Eat up your vegetables please."

"The mother told her picky child to eat up all of his vegetables before he could have any dessert."

to eat until one is completely satisfied

"I fill up my plate."

"After a long day of hiking, they were ready to fill up their stomachs with a hearty meal."

to consume all of the food or drink that one is eating or drinking

"Let's finish up the cake."

"After the long dinner, everyone helped to finish up the delicious dessert."

to eventually reach or find oneself in a particular place, situation, or condition, often unexpectedly or as a result of circumstances

"They end up lost."

"If you keep taking wrong turns, you will inevitably end up in the wrong part of town."

to reach a particular situation or place, often unexpectedly

"They land up at a fancy hotel."

"After getting lost for several hours we finally landed up at a small caf� in a part of town we had never seen before."

to come before and play a part in causing a particular result or event

"Events lead up to the finale."

"The events that led up to the war are complex and historians still debate the exact causes and triggers to this day."

to take someone or something and move them upward

"Lift up your hands high."

"He lifted up the heavy box and placed it on the top shelf without any help."

to get bigger abnormally, often due to inflammation or fluid accumulation

"His ankle swelled up badly."

"His ankle began to swell up immediately after he twisted it badly during the basketball game."

to take and lift something or someone up

"Please pick up the pen."

"She asked her son to pick up his toys from the floor before dinner."

to lift or position something or someone upward

"Pull up the box."

"The construction workers had to carefully pull up the heavy beams to the rooftop."

to move something in an upward direction

"He will push up the box."

"The construction workers had to push up the heavy steel beams into position."

to unexpectedly appear or be found

"He did turn up late."

"The missing dog surprisingly did turn up at the doorstep, safe and sound."

to securely fasten something

"Buckle up your seat belt now."

"The flight attendant reminded all passengers to buckle up their seatbelts before the plane began its descent toward the airport."

to shut or bring edges together, often to seal a gap or opening

"Please close up the box."

"The carpenter had to close up the gap in the wall with a piece of wood."

to keep someone or something in a small or limited space

"Don't coop up the bird."

"He felt cooped up in his small apartment during the long winter months."

to prevent something from being discovered or revealed

"Cover up the stain with paint."

"The company tried to cover up the safety violations by falsifying documents and lying to the government inspectors."

to make a plan, agreement, or decision more definite or secure

"Firm up the plan."

"We need to firm up our plans for the vacation before we book any flights or hotels."

(of an illness or injury) to confine someone to bed

"Lay up when you are sick."

"The knee injury will lay him up for at least six weeks and prevent him from playing sports."

to seal something tightly

"The drain stops up with hair."

"The drain is completely stopped up with hair and soap scum so the water will not go down at all."

to fasten a piece of clothing, etc. with a zipper

"Zip up your coat against the cold."

"Do not forget to zip up your backpack before you leave the house or your books might fall out on the way to school."

to fasten, button, zip, or otherwise secure something, often related to clothing or accessories

"Do up your coat buttons."

"Please do up your shirt buttons before you leave the house, looking neat and tidy."

to close or secure something in a place where it cannot be removed or accessed without the appropriate authorization, key, or combination

"Lock up the house before leaving."

"Do not forget to lock up the house before you go to bed so that no one can break in during the night."

to imprison someone as a punishment

"They will send him up."

"After the conviction, the judge decided to send him up for five years."

to fasten an object securely with ropes

"Tie up the dog."

"The sailors had to tie up the boat securely to the dock before the storm."

to cover something by putting paper or a similar material around it

"Wrap up the gift."

"She took the time to carefully wrap up the birthday present in colorful paper and ribbon."