UP
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.
At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, the earth soaks it UP. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now...my time is UP!
Oh...one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
U
P !
Did that one crack you UP?
Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book...or not...it's UP to you.
Now I'll shut UP!
Never realized up was such an important word.
ReplyDeleteNeither did I, Sunny. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Oh how do I wish I had read this when I was still teaching...
ReplyDeletehugs abby
This would be a great tool for the classroom, wouldn't it Abby. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
A little amazing word.
ReplyDeleteGot that right, Rose. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
I love this post, Cat! Please don't shut UP. I like reading along. =)
ReplyDeleteHappy you enjoyed it, CB...thanks for the compliment. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Hi Cat, never knew up was so important!
ReplyDeletelove Jan, xx
Neither did I, Jan. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Hi Cat, this is great, such a versatile and important little word. I agree,please don't shut UP :)
ReplyDeleteHugs
Roz
Happy you enjoyed it, Roz and thanks for the compliment. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Cat, I love word study! I once heard one like this on the usage of the profanity "F_CK." It was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteNever Growing Up,
Ella
Ooh Ella...would love to find the one for the use of F*CK...that would be great!
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Cat, this was great, right up my street.
ReplyDeleteRosie xx
So happy you enjoyed it, Rosie. ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat
Hiya Cuz! :) Thanks for the "heads up" regarding the word "up"! Read this when I woke up this morning, before I got up. I was laughing so hard that I thought I that I had better pop up, before I woke Rob up too. Hope that your day is looking up, now that we all have upped the ante! :) Fun! Many hugs,
ReplyDelete<3 Katie tft
ROFLMBO! Loved how you upped the ante, Cuz! ;)
DeleteHugs and blessings...Cat