Jan 19, 2016

The Power of UP

by Marsha Ward

Did you ever stop to think how versatile a word is the simple two-letter "up?"

There is the direction, of course: up and down. We can't do without that. However, the power is in combination, when you put "up" together with another word or two. Here's a list I've come up with (heh heh).

come up (sunrise)
come up (command to ascend--come up here)
come up with (approach something or someone)
come up with (a list or a solution)
come up behind
catch up (to someone)
catch up (an object)
up early (arise in the morning)
bring up
clean up
hurry up
scoop up
get up
look up
pull up (pants)
pull up (a horse)
leap up
pick up
snatch up
stand up
straighten up
hop up
fly up
wake up
pack up
draw up (your knees)
draw up (a contract)
up and take off (leave)
ride up
heal up
mix up
throw up (vomit)
throw up to (confront)
crawl up
make up (compose)
make up (your mind)
make up (time)
hold up
put up (animals)
put up with (endure)
lock up
end up (conclusion of event)
move up
climb up
coop up
keep up (remain together)
keep up (uh, any number of things)
wake up
turn up (appear)
turned up (nose)
flare up (temper or fire)
bunch up
take up (a position)
take up (a collection)
take up with (associate with a person)
hitch up (a team)

Well, you get the idea. Who knew two letters had such versatility and power?

What other words are this well used?

Reprinted from "Writer in the Pines" Blog, August 29, 2008


  1. Thanks for sharing. We usually don't 'pick up' on all the uses this little word gives us.

  2. Words are so fun! thank you for sharing this. hugs~

  3. How did you conjure up such a list? Ha ha! Thanks for the study.


