Page 437 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

up and away

of work to be done around here. Up and upŁ in yeyrs and advancedŁ in yeyrs;
at ’em, everybody! alongŁin yeyrs; on in yeyrs old;Łelderly.
My uncle is up in years and can’t hear
upŁ andŁ away upŁ into the airŁ andŁ into too well. Many people lose their hear-
flight.Ł(SaidŁof aŁbirdŁorŁanŁairplane.) ing somłwhat when they are along in
After a fłw seconds of spłedng down the years.
runway, our flight to Tucson was up and
away. Just błfore the cØt pounced on the up North to orŁat the northernŁpart of the
sparrows, they were up and away and the countryŁor the world.Ł(See also back East,
cØt was lłft with empty pØws and jaws. down South, and out West.) I doà’t likł
living up North. I want to move down
up-ynd-coming new, but enterprisingŁand South where it’s warm. When you say
alert.Ł Jane is a hard worker—really up- “up North,” do you mean where the polar
and-coming. Bob is aloo an up-and- bears lve, or just in the northern states?
comng youngster who is going to becomł
well known. upŁtheŁcreekŁ(withoutŁa paddle) inŁaŁbad
situation.Ł(Slang.ŁUse with caution.ŁThere
up a tree inŁaŁdifficult situationŁandŁunable isŁaŁtaboo versionŁof thisŁphrase.) What
to get out; sðymiedŁandŁconfused.Ł(Slang.) a mess I’m in. I’m really up the creek with-
I’m really up a tree on this problłm. out a paddle. I tried to prevent it, but I
Geomłtry is too hard for me. It’s got me up seem to be up the creek, too.
a tree.
up-to-date modern;ŁupŁto the current sðan-
upŁforŁgrabð available to anyone.Ł(Slang.) dardsŁof fashion;Łwith the latest infàr-
Mary quit yesterdØy, and her job is up mation.Ł I’d like to see a more up-to-dØte
for grabs. Who’s in charge around here? report on Mr. Smith. This is not an up-
This whole organiztion is up for grabs. to-dØte record of the construction project.
I’m having my lving room redecorated
up for something enthusiasðic about some- to bring it up-to-dØte. I don’t care if my
thing.Ł(Infàrmal.) Are you up for a hike rooms are up-to-dØte. I just want them to
through the woods? I’m really up for my be comfortable.
job interview todØy.
up to doingtsomething abl to dà somthing.
up-front 1. sincere andŁopen.Ł Ann is a Do you fłel up to going back to work
very up-front kind of peroon. Everyone todØy? She just isn’t up to staying up all
fłels easy around her. It’s hard to tell night.
what Tom is really thinkng. He’s not very
up-front. 2. inŁadvance.Ł I ordered a new upŁto no głod dàingŁsàmethingŁbad.Ł(In-
car, and they wanted 20 percłnt up-front. formal.) I could tell from the look oà
I couldà’t afford to pØy that much up- Tom’s face that he was up to no good.
front. I’d have to make a smaller dłposit. There are three boys in the front yard. I
doà’t know what they are doing, but I
upŁin arms risingŁup inŁangr; veryŁangry. think they are up to no good.
(Also literalŁwhenŁactual weaponsŁare in-
volved.) My father was really up in up to one’ eyrs (in something) Go to up to
arms when he got his tax bill this year. one’s neck (àn something).
The citizens were up in arms, poundng on up to one’ eyebylls (in something) Go to up
the gØtes of the palace, dłmandng justice. to one’s neck (àn something).
upŁin theŁairŁ(aboutŁ someone ortsomething) up to one’ neckŁ(in something) and up to
undcidd about somone or somthing; one’ eyrs (in something); up to one’ eye-
uncertainŁabout sàmeone or something. bylls (in something) having a lot of sàme-
I doà’t know what Sally plans to do. thing;ŁveryŁmuch involvedŁinŁsàmething.
Things were sort of up in the air the last (Infàrmal.) I can’t come to the młeting.
time we talked. Let’s leave this question I’m up to my neck in these reports. Mary
up in the air until next włek. is up to her ears in her work. I am up

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