get up

phrasal verb·3 senses·particle up

Meanings

1

Rise from bed or a seat

Why “up”? Movement goes from low to high.

I get up at 6 AM every day.
I rise from bed at 6 AM every morning.
My sister gets up before sunrise.
My sister leaves bed before sunrise.
My brother got up from the sofa.
My brother rose from the sofa.
He rarely gets up before noon on weekends.
He hardly ever leaves his bed before noon at the weekend.
2

Move to a standing position

Get up, we need to go now.
Move to your feet. We need to leave now.
Get up from the floor.
Move from the floor to your feet.
He got up slowly from the bench.
He slowly moved from sitting to standing.
3

Increase in strength

Why “up”? More of something is higher. Quantity, intensity and speed all rise.

The wind is getting up.
The wind is steadily growing stronger.
The sea is getting up tonight.
The sea is growing stronger and rougher tonight.
The waves are really getting up now.
The waves are growing notably bigger and rougher now.

Don't confuse with

get upget out

Get up means leave a bed or seat and stand. Get out means leave a room, car, or building.

get upget down

Get up means move to a standing position. Get down means descend or lower yourself.

Test yourself

I get up at 6 AM every day. What does it mean?

Nearby in the meaning map

Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.

get down

A contrast learners often mix up

Descend or lower yourself; Depress someone emotionally; Manage to swallow food; Capture in writing or recording; Swallow food or drink, especially with difficulty; Begin to focus seriously on a task

get out

A contrast learners often mix up

Leave a room, car or building; Become known publicly, often by accident; Go out socially; Manage to escape from a situation; Remove a stain or mark from something; Produce or manage to say words; Publish or release something to the public

back up

Same up pattern: increase

Make a digital copy of data as a safeguard; Support someone's claim, story or position; Move backward along the same path; (of traffic or water) accumulate because flow is blocked

beef up

Same up pattern: increase

Strengthen or reinforce

blow up

Same up pattern: increase

Explode or be destroyed by an explosion; Inflate something by filling it with air; Suddenly become very angry; Enlarge a photograph or image; (of a storm or argument) develop quickly into something serious

build up

Same up pattern: increase

Gradually increase in amount, strength or intensity; Develop or strengthen something over time; Make someone or something seem more important or impressive than they are; Encourage or strengthen someone emotionally; Create momentum towards a moment or event

call up

Same up pattern: upward

Telephone someone; Order someone to join military service; Display information on a screen or computer; Bring a memory or feeling vividly to mind; Select a player for a higher-level team

cheer up

Same up pattern: increase

Become happier or less miserable; Make someone else happier; (imperative) Stop being sad; used as encouragement

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