Securing, Confining, or Hiding: English Vocabulary List

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."