AlanHo Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 There is a two-letter word in English that has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as being used 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 and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has a 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 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 a 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, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now...my time is UP, so time to shut UP ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Good observation, Alan! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandalph Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'll bet he looked it UP :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 ..And nothng about the swans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 My my, you really do have a down on up don't you? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 It's at this time of the year that I feel sorry for all those drakes that can't get up for down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.