Sunday, February 19, 2017

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 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 a while, 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!

 

No comments: