3 VERB If you update someone on a situation, you tell them the latest developments in that situation. □ [V n + on ] We'll update you on the day's top news stories.
up|end /ʌ pe nd/ (upends , upending , upended ) VERB If you upend something, you turn it upside down. □ [V n] He upended the can, and swallowed. □ [V -ed] …upended flower pots.
u p fro nt also up-front , upfront
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are up front about something, you act openly or publicly so that people know what you are doing or what you believe. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ about ] You can't help being biased so you may as well be up front about it. □ They tended to have a much more up-front attitude.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If a payment is made up front , it is made in advance and openly, so that the person being paid can see that the money is there. □ For the first time the government's actually put some money up front. □ Some companies charge a fee up front, but we don't think that's right. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Up front is also an adjective. □ The eleven percent loan has no up-front costs. □ …up-front charges.
up|grade (upgrades , upgrading , upgraded ) The verb is pronounced /ʌpgre I d/. The noun is pronounced /ʌ pgre I d/. 1 VERB [usu passive] If equipment or services are upgraded , they are improved or made more efficient. □ [be V -ed] Helicopters have been upgraded and modernized. □ [V -ed] …upgraded catering facilities. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT [usu pl] Upgrade is also a noun. □ …equipment which needs expensive upgrades. □ [+ in ] …upgrades in the level of security.
2 VERB [usu passive] If someone is upgraded , their job or status is changed so that they become more important or receive more money. □ [be V -ed + to ] He was upgraded to security guard.
3 VERB If you upgrade or are upgraded , you change something such as your air ticket or your hotel room to one that is more expensive. □ [V ] You can upgrade from self-catering accommodation to a hotel. [Also V n]
up|heav|al /ʌphiː v ə l/ (upheavals ) N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] An upheaval is a big change which causes a lot of trouble, confusion, and worry. □ Wherever there is political upheaval, invariably there are refugees. □ [+ in ] Having a baby will mean the greatest upheaval in your life.
up|held /ʌphe ld/ Upheld is the past tense and past participle of uphold .
up|hill /ʌ ph I l/
1 ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] If something or someone is uphill or is moving uphill , they are near the top of a hill or are going up a slope. □ He had been running uphill a long way. [Also + from ] ● ADJ [usu ADJ n] Uphill is also an adjective. □ …a long, uphill journey. □ The walk from the village to Greystones was uphill all the way.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer to something as an uphill struggle or an uphill battle, you mean that it requires a great deal of effort and determination, but it should be possible to achieve it. □ It had been an uphill struggle to achieve what she had wanted. □ It's an uphill battle but I think we're going to win.
up|hold /ʌphoʊ ld/ (upholds , upholding , upheld )
1 VERB If you uphold something such as a law, a principle, or a decision, you support and maintain it. □ [V n] Our policy has been to uphold the law. □ [V n] …upholding the artist's right to creative freedom.
2 VERB If a court of law upholds a legal decision that has already been made, it decides that it was the correct decision. □ [V n] The crown court, however, upheld the magistrate's decision.
up|hold|er /ʌphoʊ ldə r / (upholders ) N‑COUNT An upholder of a particular tradition or system is someone who believes strongly in it and will support it when it is threatened. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …upholders of the traditional family unit.
up|hol|stered /ʌphoʊ lstə r d/ ADJ Upholstered chairs and seats have a soft covering that makes them comfortable to sit on. □ [+ in ] All of their furniture was upholstered in flowery materials.
up|hol|ster|er /ʌphoʊ lstərə r / (upholsterers ) N‑COUNT An upholsterer is someone whose job is to make and fit the soft covering on chairs and seats.
up|hol|stery /ʌphoʊ lstəri/ N‑UNCOUNT Upholstery is the soft covering on chairs and seats that makes them more comfortable to sit on. □ …white leather upholstery. □ Simon rested his head against the upholstery.
up|keep /ʌ pkiːp/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu with poss] The upkeep of a building or place is the work of keeping it in good condition. □ The money will be used for the estate's upkeep. □ [+ of ] The maintenance department is responsible for the general upkeep of the park.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [usu with poss] The upkeep of a group of people or services is the process of providing them with the things that they need. □ He offered to pay £100 a month towards his son's upkeep.
up|land /ʌ plənd/ (uplands )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Upland places are situated on high land. □ …San Marino, the tiny upland republic. □ It's important that these upland farms continue to survive.
2 N‑PLURAL Uplands are areas of high land. □ …a deep valley ringed about by green uplands.
up|lift (uplifts , uplifting , uplifted ) The verb is pronounced /ʌpl I ft/. The noun is pronounced /ʌ pl I ft/. 1 VERB If something uplifts people, it helps them to have a better life, for example by making them feel happy or by improving their social conditions. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] We need a little something to help sometimes, to uplift us and make us feel better. □ [V n] Art was created to uplift the mind and the spirit. ● N‑VAR Uplift is also a noun. □ [+ for ] This victory was a massive uplift for us.