conjure up | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

2085 entries found.

also lineup, from the verbal phrase line up (1889 as "form a line;" 1902 as "make into a line"); see line (v.2) + up (adv.). As a noun, the baseball version (1889) is older than the police version (1907).

hold-up (n.)

also holdup, 1837, "a stoppage or check," from verbal phrase (see hold (v.) + up (adv.)). The verbal phrase is from late 13c. as "to keep erect; support, sustain;" 1580s as "endure, hold out;" 1590s (intransitive) as "to stop, cease, refrain;" 1860 as "to stay up, not fall." The meaning "to stop by force and rob" is from 1887, from the robber's command to raise hands. The noun in this sense is from 1851.

walk-up (adj.)

in reference to an apartment not accessible by elevator, 1909, from the verbal phrase; see walk (v.) + up (adv.). As a noun from 1920 in reference to that type of apartment.

knock up (v.)

1660s, "arouse by knocking at the door," from knock (v.) + up (adv.). However it is little used in this sense in American English, where the phrase means "get a woman pregnant" (1813), possibly ultimately from knock in a sense "to copulate with" (1590s; compare slang knocking-shop "brothel," 1860).

Knocked up in the United States, amongst females, the phrase is equivalent to being enciente, so that Englishmen often unconsciously commit themselves when amongst our Yankee cousins. [John Camden Hotten, "The Slang Dictionary," London, 1860]

let-up (n.)

"cessation, restraint, relaxation, intermission," 1837, from verbal phrase let up "cease, stop" (1787). In Old English the phrase meant "to put ashore" (let out meant "put to sea"). Bartlett (1848) says the noun is "an expression borrowed from pugilists."

smash-up (n.)

"collision," 1841, from verbal phrase; see smash (v.) + up (adv.).

touch-up (n.)

"act of improvement requiring modest effort," 1872, from verbal phrase touch up "improve or finish (as a painting or drawing) with light strokes" (1715), from touch (v.) + up (adv.).

up-market (adj.)

1972, from up- + market (n.).

warm-up (n.)

"act or practice of exercising or practicing before an activity," 1915; earlier in literal sense, "a heating" (of something), 1878, from verbal phrase warm up, which is from 1868 in the sense "exercise before an activity." Earlier in reference to heating food (1848), and earliest (c. 1400), figuratively, of persons. In reference to appliances, motors, etc., attested from 1947.

wind-up (n.)

1570s, "conclusion or final adjustment and settlement of some matter," from verbal phrase wind up (see wind (v.1)). Baseball pitching sense attested from 1906.

Page 8

Trending words