Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 7.pdf/263

 of the House), etc. Also a scoring-limit at billiards (500 or 1000 up); recorded on the 'telegraph' at cricket (Grace 100 UP = a century of runs made). Also in numerous phrases and combinations, 'What's up'? = What's the matter, or What's going on; UP TO (or in) = well-equipped, equal to, conversant with (the law, mathematics, tricks of trade, etc.); all's up (or up with) = everything is lost, ruin stares one in the face: frequently up is spelt as, it's all 'u-p';to go up = (1)to travel to London, Paris, etc. (as the centre and focus of national life): specifically (University) to return to Oxford or Cambridge, the antithesis in this case being 'going down' to London, home, etc.; (2) to offer oneself for examination; to have (or pull up) = (1) to summons, arrest, or bring before a magistrate; and (2) to check a downward course (as of drink, dissipation, or the like); up and down (See Up-and-down); TO COME UP WITH = to overtake, catch up; TO LOOK UP = to improve in health, credit, value; UP TO = about to do, occur, or in preparation; up A tree (or TREED) = (1) done for, ruined, (2) = in a difficulty, cornered (q.v.), and (3) drunk; also up IN one's hat: see Screwed; to up jib (the sticks, or the stakes) = to pack up and go, to be off: see Bunk; to up and dust = to hurry up, move fast; UP TO SNUFF (SCENT, or THE ROPES) = KNOWING (q.V.), WIDE-AWAKE (q.v.), cunning, sharp (Grose); up to the knocker (door, nines, a thing or two, etc.) = good, capital, excellent; up the spout = (1) in pawn, (2) imprisoned (Grose); up to one's ears (elbows, the hilt, etc.) = overwhelmed; up to the hub = to the extreme point; to LIVE UP TO BLUE CHINA = tO spend up to, or more than, one's income; UP TO SAMPLE = of good quality, O.K. (q.v.); UP TO Dick = rich, generous, wise, quick, in good health, jolly, well-dressed: generic for the best; up to dictionary = learned, up to THE GOSSIP (CACKLE, TRY-ON, etc.) = prepared for any attempt at imposition, roguery, or trickery (Grose); up to slum (Grose) = proficient in roguery, good as a TRADESMAN (q.V.); THAT'S UP against you = What do you say to that? That will knock the stuffing out of you; up in the stirrups = with plenty of money (Grose).

1340. Gamelyn [Skeat], 20. He up with his staf.

1360. Allit. Poems. [E.E.T.S.]. [The excitement at Sodom is described, it is said that the] borough was all up. Ibid., 67. [Abraham was] up in the morning.

1387. Trevisa [Higden, Lat. Chronicle], iii. 297. He up with a staf and smoot.

1399. Langland, Richard the Redeles [E.E.T.S.], 474. Myscheff was UP.

1401. Townley Myst. (Camden Soc), 221. Up with the tymbre.

c. 1430. Destr. Troy [E.E.T.S.], 7207. The tru vp, Agamynon the Grekys gedrit in the fild.

1528-37. Letters on Suppression of the Monasteries [Camden Soc], 245. [An abbot talks of coming upwards; that is up to London.]

1530. Palsgrave, Lang. Fran., 417. [Palsgrave says that] is my lorde up [is a peculiar English phrase].

1550. Udal, Roister Doister [Arber], 13. Up to the harde eares in love

1592. Marlowe, Edward II., i. 4. 'Tis treason to be up against the King.