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UPS
one-up (someone)
To make a point of outdoing, outperforming, outclassing, etc., someone. I hate telling stories around Jack because he always tries to one-up you with some fabulous anecdote of his own.
hang up
1. verb To disconnect a phone call. The term is often used to mean to end the call in the middle of the conversation, but it can also mean to disconnect the call when it is finished. Don't you dare hang up on me, I'm not done issuing my complaint! I can't hear you anymore, it must be a bad signal. I'm going to hang up now, so call me back if you can hear this.
2. noun (usually hyphenated) A disconnected phone call. The phone's been ringing all day, but it's just been a bunch of hang-ups. I think someone's pranking us.
3. noun (usually hyphenated) An impediment of some kind, usually an emotional or psychological insecurity, that prevents a person from making progress in a situation. Jeff's personal hang-up is that he always felt like his parents supported his brother more than they supported him.
pick-me-up
Something used to improve a person's mood or level of energy. After a long week, I needed a pick-me-up, so I stopped by the salon to get a pedicure. I was so drowsy on the way to work, so I stopped by the coffee shop for a little pick-me-up.
piss-up
A social gathering at which people drink an excessive amount of alcohol. Bob didn't go to the party because he knew it was going to be nothing but a piss-up.
back up
1. verb To move backwards. This phrase is commonly used to refer to maneuvering a car in reverse. Back up, you're standing too close to me! If you back up a little, then your car will be completely in that parking space.
2. verb To save copies of computer files in another place, in case the original files become inaccessible. If you didn't back up your files before the computer crashed, they may be lost forever.
3. verb To become clogged and impassable. I'm calling the plumber right now because the toilet is backed up again. Traffic is totally backed up, due to all that construction.
4. verb To return to an item previously mentioned. Whoa, back up—Janet and Jim are getting married?
5. verb To support or assist someone. A person's name or a pronoun is used between "back" and "up" in this usage. You didn't see that meeting on the calendar, either? OK, please back me up on this, so the boss doesn't think I'm an idiot.
6. noun An alternate to be used if it becomes necessary for some reason, typically the failure, ineffectiveness, or the absence of the original. The phrase is typically written as one word. I brought an extra pen as a backup, in case this one runs out of ink during the exam. I hope Tony asks me to the prom, but, if not, I have my best friend Bill as a backup.
7. adjective Available for use as an alternate if it becomes necessary for some reason, typically the failure, ineffectiveness, or the absence of the original. The phrase is typically written as one word. I brought three backup pens, in case this one runs out of ink during the exam. I'm the backup quarterback, but I still have to know all the plays in case I get in the game. I hope Tony asks me to the prom, but, if not, I have my best friend Bill as a backup date.
8. adjective Appearing in the background in support of a main act or performer. The phrase is typically written as one word. She's auditioning backup dancers for her world tour today.
back someone up
to provide someone with help in reserve; to support someone. Don't worry. I will back you up when you need me. Will you please back up Nancy over the weekend?
back something up
1. Lit. to drive a car backwards. Will you back your car up a little? I will back up the car.
2. Lit. to cause objects to obstruct a pathway or channel and cause a slowdown in the flow. The wreck backed the cars up for a long way. Some dead branches and leaves backed the sewer up.
3. Fig. to give additional support or evidence about something. (To support or strengthen the facts.) My story of the crime will back your story up. That backs up my story, all right.
back up
1. Lit. [for objects] to obstruct and accumulate in a pathway or channel. Something clogged the sewer and it backed up.
2. Fig. to refuse to go through with something; to back out (of something). Fred backed up at the last minute, leaving me to do the job alone.
back up (to something)
to go back to something said in a conversation. Wait—back up a little. What did you say that phone number was? Let's back up to what you just said and go over that point again.
back up (to something)
to go back to something said in a conversation. Wait—back up a little. What did you say that phone number was? Let's back up to what you just said and go over that point again.
hang something up
to return the telephone receiver to its cradle. (See also
hang it up.)
Please hang this up when I pick up the other phone. Please hang up the phone.hang up
. 1. [for a machine or a computer] to grind to a halt; to stop because of some internal complication. Our computer hung up right in the middle of printing the report. I was afraid that my computer would hang up permanently.
2. to replace the telephone receiver after a call; to terminate a telephone call. I said good-bye and hung up. Please hang up and place your call again.
hang up
(on someone or something) 1. and hang up (in someone's ear) to end a telephone call by returning the receiver to the cradle while the other party is still talking. She hung up on me! I had to hang up on all that rude talk.
2. to give up on someone or something; to quit dealing with someone or something. Finally, I had to hang up on Jeff. I can't depend on him for anything. We hung up on them because we knew we couldn't make a deal.
(someone's) ups and downs
a person's good fortune and bad fortune. I've had my ups and downs, but in general life has been good to me. All people have their ups and downs.
back up somebody
also back somebody up to support someone The special operations forces would be backed up by infantry and air power. I keep telling her it's true, but she doesn't believe me - will you back me up here?
back up (something)
also back (something) up1. to state the truth of something The last speaker backed up what most of the other people said.
2. to make an electronic copy of information in a computer so that it can be stored separately We back up our files on a disk every day.
hang up
to end a telephone connection I can't think of his name, but it'll come to me as soon as we hang up.
ups and downs
the mixture of good and bad things that happen Ups and downs are to be expected in life, but that doesn't make the down parts any easier.
Related vocabulary: the ebb and flow of somethingups and downs
the mixture of good and bad things which happen to people Like most married couples we've had our ups and downs. The book charts the ups and downs of a career in fashion.
back up
1. Move or drive a vehicle backward, as in He told her to back up into the garage. [First half of 1800s]
2. Bring or come to a standstill, as in The water had backed up in the drains, or The accident had backed up traffic for miles. [First half of 1800s]
3. Support or strengthen, as in The photos were backed up with heavy cardboard so they couldn't be bent, or I'll back up that statement of yours. [Second half of 1700s]
4. Duplicate a file or program so that the original is not lost. For example, Every computer manual warns you to back up your work frequently in case of a power outage or computer failure . [Second half of 1900s]
hang up
1. Suspend on a hook or hanger, as in Let me hang up your coat for you. [c. 1300]
2. Also, hang up on. Replace a telephone receiver in its cradle; end a phone conversation. For example, She hung up the phone, or He hung up on her. [Early 1900s]
3. Delay or hinder; also, become halted or snagged, as in Budget problems hung up the project for months, or Traffic was hung up for miles. [Second half of 1800s]
4. Have or cause to have emotional difficulties, as in Being robbed at gunpoint can hang one up for years to come. [Slang; early 1900s]
5. hung up on. Obsessed with, as in For years the FBI was hung up on Communist spies. [First half of 1900s]
6. hang up one's sword or gloves or fiddle . Quit, retire, as in He's hanging up his sword next year and moving to Florida. The noun in these expressions refers to the profession one is leaving- sword for the military, gloves for boxing, and fiddle for music-but they all are used quite loosely as well, as in the example.
7. hang up one's hat. Settle somewhere, reside, as in "Eight hundred a year, and as nice a house as any gentleman could wish to hang up his hat in" (Anthony Trollope, The Warden, 1855).
ups and downs
Good times and bad times, successes and failures, as in We've had our ups and downs but things are going fairly well now. This term was first recorded in 1659.
back up
v.1. To move backward: We passed the house we were looking for, so we had to back up a little bit.
2. To move something or someone backward: I backed the car up against the garage wall. Let's back up the car to the curb.
3. To prove something to be true: There was not enough evidence to back up the theory. What I told you is true, and now I have even more evidence to back it up.
4. To support someone by confirming that they are telling the truth: We told our version of the events, certain that the witnesses would back us up. They won't back up anyone who is known for lying.
5. To provide help or support for someone or something: If I decide to take on the job, can I count on you to back me up? The political party backs up any candidate who follows its basic principles.
6. To cause to accumulate, especially due to an obstruction: The accident backed the traffic up for blocks. Something got stuck in the drain, and now the kitchen sink is backed up.
7. To make a copy of a computer program or file for use if the original is lost or damaged: I backed up the disk so that I wouldn't lose any data. Be sure to back your files up before you turn off the computer.
hang up
v.1. To suspend something on a hook or hanger: Please hang your jacket up in the closet. I hung up my bathrobe on the hook.
2. To replace a telephone receiver on its base or cradle: I hung up the phone and returned to my chores. Will you hang that phone up and get back to your homework?
3. To end a telephone conversation: I said goodbye to my mother and hung up.
4. To delay or impede something; hinder something: Budget problems hung up the project for months. Squabbling hung the contract talks up for weeks.
5. To become snagged or hindered: The fishing line hung up on a rock.
6. To stop doing or participating in some activity: They are planning to hang up their law practice after 40 years. Trying to find your keys in the snow is a lost cause—you might as well hang it up.
7. Slang To have emotional difficulties or inhibitions. Used passively: If you weren't so hung up about your job, you'd be more fun to be around.
8. Slang To be obsessed or consumed with something. Used passively: I'm still hung up on that sale I missed last week.
back up
in. to refuse to go through with something; to back out (of something). Fred backed up at the last minute, leaving me with twenty pounds of hot dogs.
hang up
1. n. a problem or concern; an obsession. (Usually hang-up.) She’s got some serious hang-ups about cats.
2. in. to say no; to cancel out of something. If you don’t want to do it, just hang up. I’ll understand.
high ups
and higher ups n. the people in charge. One of the higher ups is coming down to talk to you.
higher ups
verbjack-ups
n. capsules of a barbiturate drug. (Drugs.) Walter took a few jack-ups and went on to work.
pick-me-up
n. any food or drink that boosts energy, such as a drink of liquor, candy, soda pop. I can’t finish the day without a little pick-me-up at lunch.