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  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. get up

get up

/ɡɛt ʌp/◆phrasal verb
to rise from a lying or sitting position

I need to get up early tomorrow for work.

This means waking up early to prepare for work.


informal

To rise from a lying or sitting position, typically from bed or a chair.

She got up from the couch to answer the door.

She stood up from the couch to open the door.

The baby got up from her nap at noon.

The baby woke up from her nap at noon.

Often used to describe waking up from sleep or standing up from a seated position.

informal

To prepare or organize something, often with effort.

We need to get up a presentation for the meeting.

We need to prepare a presentation for the meeting.

Less common usage, often in informal contexts.

Collocations

get up earlyto wake up early in the morningget up lateto wake up later than usualget up and goto have the energy or motivation to do something

Synonyms

risestand upwake uparise

Antonyms

lie downsit downstay in bed

Related Phrases

get up and gophrase
to have the energy or motivation to do something
get up on the wrong side of the bedidiom
to wake up in a bad mood

Pro Tip

Common Usage

'Get up' is often used to describe waking up from sleep or standing up from a seated position.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

The meaning of 'get up' can vary based on context, so pay attention to the surrounding words.

Word Origin

The phrase 'get up' is a combination of the verb 'get' (to obtain or achieve) and the preposition 'up' (to a higher position). It has been used in English since the 16th century.

Usage Notes

The phrase is commonly used in everyday language to describe physical actions of rising or waking up. It can also be used metaphorically to describe preparing or organizing something.

Word Breakdown

get
to obtain or achieve
root
+
up
to a higher position
preposition
English Dictionary
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Words of the Year

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