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Word Up!

Wash up,
Tidy up,
Pi$$ed up,
Wound up,
Drink up,
Send up,
Make up,
Etc. Etc. Etc.

Why do we use 'up'? As far as I can tell it is not particularly needed...

Thanks. ll_billym (Wed 22:30 24/Jun/09)

What are you thinking crowther's encyclopaedia of phrases and origins by edwin radford

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keithlbw		(Wed 23:50 24/Jun/09) Shut up
keithlbw		(Wed 23:52 24/Jun/09) Put up Pack up Run up Start up Lighten up Pay up
Quizmonster		(Thu 06:30 25/Jun/09) Such 'up' phrasal verbs as wake up, write up, end up and so on date back to at least the 1100s in English, with 'give up', meaning 'surrender' being the oldest recorded. There are many of them that appear to have no rhyme or reason behind them, since they appear to have no 'directional' quality to them whatever. And there is further confusion in that, in several cases, the 'up' can be replaced by 'down'. "It's up to you" means pretty-well exactly the same as "It's down to you" in certain situations in modern British usage, for example. Here's a nice quote that sums up - geddit?! - the situation... "If you're up to it, you might try building up a list of the many ways in which 'up' is used. It may take up a lot of your time but if you don't give up, you may wind up with a thousand." The simple answer, therefore, is that there is no real relevance other than the great god 'usage'. It's here to stay!
ll_billym		(Thu 16:35 25/Jun/09) Question Author Many thanks QM.

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