A list of the common collocations with the word up
Grow up
- When you grow up all this practice will come in useful.
Grown up
- You can be considered grown up when you are 18 years old.
Push up
- We will want to avoid a further decline for fear that import price rises will push up inflation.
- He does 100 push ups every day to build his strength.
Close up
- It was nine o’clock when she decided to close up the shop.
- In this photograph you see wild flowers in close up detail.
Sit up
- He does 100 sit ups every day to build his strength.
- It is good for your back if you sit up straight in your chair.
Sign up
Do up
- I have some paint and wallpaper so I am going to do up my apartment.
- He is doing up his old car.
Get up
- She likes to get up at 9 o’clock in the morning.
Follow up
- Please follow up on the story you wrote last week.
- The scientist did good follow-up work on his research.
Way up
- What is the safest way up the mountain?
- He lives way up north in the Arctic Circle.
Hang up
- Please hang up the phone and dial again.
- You can hang up your coat on the hook.
- Don’t get hung up on the details, look at the bigger picture.
Warm up
- Come and warm up by the fire.
- The athletes warm up by jogging lightly before the big race.
Blow up
- Let’s blow up the photograph and make it much bigger.
- You can blow up the ball with an air pump.
- A lot of trouble is going to blow up after this.
- A bomb can blow up a building.
Make up
- They had an argument and they need to make up.
- She wears too much make-up.
- I have made up a bed for you upstairs.
Start up
- I am trying to start up the engine.
- He is planning to start up his business again.
Look up
- They looked up at the stars.
- I am going to Taiwan to look up an old friend.
- I can look up the meaning of words in a dictionary.
Pick up
- Do you pick up hitchhikers?
- I am taking a truck to pick up my new washing machine.
- Can you pick up some milk for me?
- Please pick up your clothes from the floor.
Shut up
- If you are impolite and wish to tell someone to be quiet, you may tell them to shut up.
- At 5 o’clock it is time to shut up the shop.
Weigh up
- The judge weighs up all the evidence before making a decision.
Light up
- He lit up a cigarette.
- The fireworks light up the night sky.
Wrap up
- I enjoy wrapping up Christmas presents.
- Let’s wrap up this meeting, it is late.
Open up
- He started to open up, to tell me everything.
- The police banged on the door and shouted “open up“.
What’s up?
- What’s up? = How are you? How are things?
Fed up
- He is fed up with all the stress at work.
Shape up
- This is shaping up to be a great post about collocations with “up”.
- It is shaping up to be a good year for the new government.
