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26th AMENDMENT SIGNING | MEMORIES | YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Ups and Downs

Recently I was having a tooth filled at my dentist's office (where else) when the technician told me that she didn't think I would need to be numbed up. I started thinking about the use of "up" and "down" with other words. I have never been numbed down. I have been dumbed down.

I thought about "dress" which, as a noun, is apparel (generally worn by a female.) As a verb, it is to put on apparel (male or female.) However to dress up means something quite different, but not as challenging as to dress down (to scold.) To screw up is not the same as to screw down, etc. Sometimes, they mean similar things: I have frequently been told to drink up, and, as a child taking my medicine, to drink down.

Some words only use up or down but not both - wake up never wake down, and I have often been told by Phyllis to calm down, but I have never been advised to calm up - but she often tells me to clam up and to shut up before I am shut down. Still, I have thrown up and also thrown down (a gauntlet?) It has been a very long time since I even owned a gauntlet, but I have run one recently.

Make up has many different meanings:
Make up - Reconcile differences amicably between 2 parties (kiss and make up)
Make up - Invent/concoct (often simultaneously) stories, excuses, music, poems, recipes, etc.
Make up - difference of agreed upon pay. ("I will make up the difference")
Make up - Place sheets, blankets, pillows in a pre-determined order ("Go make up your bed.")
Make up - Cosmetics used to alter the appearance of people, especially actors (and women?)

As you can see from the above, some phrases have multiple definitions, but frequently only one is identified below. Here are some of the ups and downs that I have thought of thus far. As of this writing, the ups outnumber the downs. Your input is appreciated and will help determine the final output.

UP

DOWN

act up = to misbehave

 

 

batton down = prepare for trouble

beat up = to hit

beat down = to persuade or hard rain

bottle up = stay hidden

 

bottoms up = good wishes drinking alcohol

 

break up = end a relationship

break down = unstable (mental) or broken

back up = to copy as a security measure

back down = to be less aggressive

blow up = to get angry very fast, explode

blow down =  destroyed by wind gusts

brighten up = to make cheerful, happy

 

butter up = to flatter

 

button up = to button clothing (usually, down)

 

 

calm down = to become less excited

catch up = to share news with someone

 

check up = visit the doctor or mechanic

 

chat up = to have a light, friendly conversation

 

chop up = to cut something into pieces

chop down = George Washington (tree)

chow down = to eat

clam up = to stop speaking

 

 

clamp down on = to end something

clean up = to make clean or tidy

 

close up = to lock doors or very near

close down = to stop trading as a business

come up with = think a plan or an idea

come down with = to become ill

cool down = to become less agitated

cough up = to pay

 

cover up = to hide, conceal

 

crack up = burst into laughter

crack down = regulate, repress, or restrain

cut up = making jokes or playing pranks

cut down = remove a tree

dig up = remove or reveal something

 

dirty up = to make dirty

 

doll up = to dress for a special occasion

 

dig up = to discover

dig down = use a tool in the earth

 

down right = straight forward

 

down the hatch = to drink, swallow

dress up = to have very nice clothes on

dress down = to scold

drink up = to drink all of your drink

drink down = to swallow

dry up = remove the water or stop crying

 

 

dumb down = to convey in simple words

eat up = to believe immediately

 

end up = to turn out, conclude

 

face up = accept a difficult situation

face down = confront, be brave

feel up = to touch someone sexually

 

fill up = fuel a car

 

finish up = conclude

 

fired up = enthusiastic

 

fix up = to make right, adjust

 

 

flag down = to get someone’s attention

fry up = to cook

 

fxxked up = so broken in can't be fixed

 

get up = arise out of bed, or encourage a horse

get down = loose hope, disappoint

giddy up = make a horse start or go faster

 

give up = to surrender, admit failure

 

 

go down = to change to lesser value

goof up = blunder

 

grind up = to pulverize or crush something

 

grow up = become older or wiser

 

hands up = said while arresting a suspect

hands down = easily, without too much effort

hang up = to end phone conversation or impede

hang down = (your head, Tom Dooley?)

head up = to lead, to take charge

head down = to travel (generally to the south)

heat up = to re-heat food, warming

 

hit up = ask for

 

hold up = to wait, to delay or robbery

hold down = keep a job

hung up = thinking or worrying about something

 

heat up = re-heat food, or getting warmer

hunker down = remain in place

hunt up = look for something

hunt down = to find with difficulty

hurry up = do something more quickly

 

inch up = slowly get closer or advance

 

 

jot down = to make a note

juice up = to charge

 

keep up = to continue, or to stay with

keep down = to stay quiet

kiss up to = to show false flattery

 

knock up = to make a woman pregnate

knock down = destroy or hit someone

lighten up = lessen the intensity

 

lay up = basketball shot

lay down = to lie down

line up = have something/someone ready

 

listen up = pay attention

 

live it up = enjoy

live down = endure

lock up = close

lock down = shelter in place

look up = to find information

look down = undervalue, disregard

loosen up = to relax

 

make up = to reconcile after a quarrel/fight

 

man up = show courage

man down = lose courage or unconscious

marry up = combine, complement

 

mash up = a mixture of disparate elements

 

match up = correspond to

 

mess up = to make a mistake, to ruin

 

mock up = make a simple copy

 

 

narrow down = to make more specific

numb up = anesthesia injection

 

open up = speak freely

 

pay up = to pay money owed

pay down = lessen debt

pony up = pay money for a settlement

 

push up = an athletic exercise

push down = exactly what it says

put up = endure (put up with) or preserve food

put down = criticize

 

quiet down = stop making noise

roll up (one’s sleeves) = to prepare to work

roll down = open (car windows)

round up = to collect or gather something

round down = reduce to nearest whole number

run up = raise a flag or incur debt

run down = criticize or injure someone

saddle up = get on your horse to ride

 

screw up = to ruin, to make a mess

screw down = to tighten

set up = organized or arranged

set down = record, or remove

settle up = pay one’s debt

settle down = to establish a lifestyle, to marry

shake up = reorganize

shake down - coercion

shoot up = fire gun, inject drugs

shoot down = bring down with a gun

shore up = to support

 

show up = appear, be visible

show down = confrontation

shut up = be silent

shut down = to end, to close

sign up = to commit oneself

 

sit up = straighten the body

sit down = move to a sitting position

speak up = talk louder

 

speed up = to make something go faster

 

split up = to separate

 

spruce up = to make look nice

 

stand up = erect, upright, remain intact

stand down = withdraw or relax

step up = accept a challenge

step down = withdraw or resign

straighten up (and fly right) = clean (correct)

 

stick up = armed robbery or support

 

string up = to hang (by the neck)

 

stuck up = staying aloof, snobbery

 

suck up = flatter someone excessively

 

take up = occupy time, space, attention

take down = overthrow

talk up = exaggerate

talk down = bargain, comfort

tanked up = drunk

 

tear up = destroy, damage or get tears in eyes

tear down = to demolish

think up = develop an idea

 

thumbs up = good, correct, OK

thumbs down = not good, don't like

tidy up = make things cleaner

 

tied up = very busy

tied down = secured, limited

tighten up = to make secure or more strict

tighten down = to fix, fasten, secure

think up = to invent or imagine something

 

throw up = to vomit

throw down (gauntlet?) = to argue

toss up = all ourcomes are possible

toss down = to fling something downward

touch up = to enhance (visually)

touchdown = score in USA football

turn up = to appear or increase the volume

turn down = to refuse, to decline

upbeat = cheerful, optimistic

downbeat = accented beat (1st beat)

up the creek = to be in serious trouble

 

upchuck = vomit

 

upend = to turn something upside down

 

upright = strong moral correctness

down-right = complete direct (downright false)

upset = unhappy, disappointed

 

use up = run out of

 

wake up = to awaken from sleep

 

warm up = to prepare for a sport or performance

 

wash up = bath

wash down = to drink or to clean

what's up = what's up (Listen to Ismo)

 

wind up = end in a specific situation, place

wind down = gradually end an activity

write up = report that makes a judgement

write down = compose or devalue

zip up = complete or zip a garment

 

 

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